Spring-shackle construction



' Apr. 3, 1923,

`- D. G. Roos SPRING sHAcxLE CONSTRUCTION Filed Mart 4, 1920 f IN1/venia?.-

' ema 611,003,

yg /Mmfa' Patented Apr. 3, 1923.

inviten STATES P DELMAR G. ROOS, F BRIDGEPORT, CONN normar, Assistme, BY fission- MENTS, To THE LocoivioBILE COMPANY, orY BRIDGEPOBT,.,ooNNEoTIoUT, n

CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

sIJRINe-SHACKLE ooNsTaiioTioNlf i Application med March 4,

. ings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a spring shackle construction for vehicles, and is more partic-k ularly concerned with a shackle of the type in which two independent links connect the pivots,` and in which the least play between the pivots and the holes in the links allows the holes to become worn bell-mouthed. My invention aims to correct this condition by enabling' the links toA be pinched firmly into the pivots, thns preventing' lateral rocking action and consequent bell-mouth 4en larging of the holes, while still allowing adjustment to be made in an endwisedirection to take up axial wear. e

My invention will be best understood by reference to the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of one illustrative embodiment thereof, while its scope will be more particu. larly pointed out in the appended claims:

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevationof a portion oi a motor vehicle chassis having a spring suspension exemplifying my invention;

Fig. 2 isa sectional view on-an enlarged scale on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view online S- ot Fig. 2. Y Referring to the drawings, andto the em bodiment of my invention which. I have selected foiiexempliiicatiomI have shown the front portion of a motor vehicle havingsemielliptical springs, although it should be distinctly understood that my invention is susceptible of wide application to spring suspensions of various types. In the present embodiment of my inveiitio11,lthe chassis i920. seriai No. 363,165.y

trame comprises'nsual longitudinal meniber's,'one offwhich is shown and designated 4, the same being lsupported on- Va nsual axle 6 by a pair of semi-elliptical? springs, one ot which is shown and designated 8'. As is usually the case, the front end of the spring is pivoted to a horn 10 by al'spring bolt 1Q passing through the sides of the horn and e through the eye of the spring.

The other endof the spring isv connected to the frame member by a novel shackle 14, which, in the present example, has its upper end pivoted to the spring-eye by a bolt 16, and has its lower end pivoted by,` av spring bolt 18 to a, bracket 20,thel latter being secured to'V the frame member. In some typesl of construction, the spring shackle is pivo'ted directly to the frame member, instead of to the bracket, while in spring suspensions of the ,platform and three-quarters elliptic types, the shackles connect two springs to each other. My invention vis susceptible of application to these andl possibly othertypes. v y v In the present embodimentfthe shackle comprises apair ofindependent links 22, eachl havinga bolt-hole 24 for the bolt 16, and a bolt-hole 26 for the bolt 18. Preferably, washers v28 are interposed betweenfthe links 22 -and the ends of the spring-eye, and likewise washers 30 are interposed betweenthe links and thejbracket -20. Preferably, also, bushings.y and 34 are provided for the spring-eyel and bracket, ythus presenting renewable bearingsfor the boltselt''and 18. Provision Yis herein made for adjusting the bolt-,holes ofthe links with reference to the bolts,1 .both longitudinallyfand ytrans-.

verselyv of the axes of the glatter.'V In kthe present example,v the bolts 'are provided, re-

spectively, withvheads' and 3,8, bearing against` one of thelinks 22, and held against 9i turning movement with reference,k to the latter by suitablemeans, hereinp-ins 40 'and 42,/-which, howeven; do-vnot restrictfaxial movement ofthe bolts.` v J .l Longitudinal play ,isl taken up by the use of castellated nuts 44 and 46, threaded onto the bolts 16 and 18, respectively, and provided with radial slots 48 Vand 50 to receive cotter pins 52 and 54, which prevent the adjustment from being disturbed after it has once been obtained.

Radial adjustment of the bolt-holes 24 and 26 is herein provided for by use ot' a slot 56 connecting the two bolt-lioles and rendering them expansible and contractible. Adjustment is herein effected by the provision of a cap-screw 5S passing through a smooth cylindrical hole at one side ofthe slot 56, and being threaded into the link at the other side of the slot, as shown in Fig. 3. Suitable means may be provided to lock the capscrew against accidental turning movement, and for this purpose I have herein provided a lock washer 60 interposed between the head of the screw and the adjacent face of the link.

It should now be evident that, when the spring shackle is first assembled, it can be adjusted so that there is no, more eiidwise play than is essential to a good working fit, and the links can be caused firmly to pinch the pivots, thereby to prevent the holes in the links from wearing bell-mouthed. This 'is important because. it prevents the rapid initial wear which usually occurs in a non-adjustable shackle, due to side sway and other causes. Subsequently, when wear occurs, it may be compensated for by mak ing the proper adjustments, yand with consequent long life of the parts and absence of noise. By the use of the slot 56 intermediate the bolt-holes in the links, a powerful grip ping action can be secured, and there is an equalization of the gripping power on both bolts. Thus the bolts can be securely pinched, `and the result is practically the same as'if a one-piece shackle were employed, instead of independent links. It should be understood, or course, that when axial adjustment of the links becomes necessary, the screws 5S should first be loosened toA relieve the grip of the links on the bolt,

and after the axial ladjustment has been made, the screws should again be tightened. Having thus described one embodiment of my invention, liiltwvitliout limiting myself thereto, what Ivclaiin and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

lQIn a spring shackle construction, the

combination of two pivots, a pair of links eachprovided with openings in which said pivots are received, means to effect adjustment of said links with reference to each otliei, and other means to effect adjustment of the eii'ectivesizes ot said openings.

2. In a spring shackle construction, the

l combination of two pivots, a pair of links each provided with openings in which said pivots are received vand provided with a slot connecting said openings, and means to vary the size of said openings by varying the width of said Slots.

3. In a spring shackle construction, the combination of two pivots, a pair of links eachr provided with openings in which said pivots are received and provided with a slot connecting said openings, and means intermediate said openings to vary the size of said openings by varying the width ot' said slots.

4. In a spiino shackle construction, the combination oftwo pivots, a pair of links each provided with openings in which said pivots are received and provided with a slot connecting said openings, and adjusting screws for reducing the sizes of said openings by drawing the sides of said slots toward each other.

5. In a spring shackle construction, the combination of two pivots, a pair of links connectingsaid pivots, and two distinct adjusting means to take up play longitudinally and the other to take up play transversely of the axes or" said pivots.

6. In a spring shackle construction, the combination of two pivots, a shackle connecting said pivots, means towadjust said parts to compensate for play longitudinally of the axes oi said pivots, and other means to adjust said parts to compensate for plav transversely oi the axes of said pivots.

'i'. In a spring shackle construction, the combination of two pivots, a pair ot' links connecting said pivots, bearings interposed between said links, means to adjust said links toward each other to take up play longitudinally oi said pivots, and other means relatively to adjust said links and said pivots to take up play transversely ofr said pivots.

8. In a spring shackle construction, the combination of two pivots, a. shackle Lconnecting said pivots and having openings in which said pivots lare received, means relatively to adjust said openings and said pivots to take up play in said openings, and other means to adjust said shackle axially of said pivots.

9. In a spring shackle construction, the combination of two pivots, a pair of links each providedwith cylindrical openings in which said pivots are received, means to effect adjustment of said links one toward the other along said pivots, and means to effect a clamping action of said links on andabout said pivots.

j 10. In a sprino' shackle construction, the combination of two pivots presentingcylindrical portions, a pair of links connecting said pivots and presenting cylindrical openings which receive tlie cylindrical portions of said pivots, bearings on said pivots intermediate said links, means for edecting yadlation to said pivots.

"11. In a spring shackle construction, the combination of two pivots, a shackle connecting said pivots and presenting cylindrical openings to receive the1n,t`1 neansto adjust said parts to compensate* foi1r playl.

lengthvvise of said pivots,and other ineans y to adjust said part-sto compensate for play' transversely of the axes yof said pivots. l

In testimony whereof, I'have signed vmy name to this speci ii'cation.' f

vGr. ROOS. i i.

Certificate of Correction.

It isA hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,450,306, granted April 3, 1923, upon the application of Delmar G. Roos, of Bridgeport, Connecticut, for an improvement in Spring-Shackle Constructions, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as fol-lows: Page 2, line 87, claim 5, after the Word means insert the Word one," and that the. said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent OHice.

Signed and sealed this 5th day of J une, A. D., 1923.

[SEAL] KARL FENNIN G,

' Acting Uommz'ssomr of Paten-ts. 

